The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that it is considering new number coding schemes to solve the metro’s looming traffic crisis as loosened pandemic regulations have signaled a return of cars on the road.
MMDA presented two number coding schemes to President Rodrigo Duterte at a press briefing that may ban vehicles on public roads on two weekdays if either of them is approved.
The first proposal, which seeks to reduce traffic by 50 percent, will ban license plates ending in odd numbers — 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 — on Mondays and Thursdays from 7am to 10am and from 5pm to 8pm.
Cars with even last numbers — 2, 4, 6, 8 — will be banned on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7am to 10am and from 5pm to 8pm.
The second proposal aims to reduce traffic by 40 percent, with the following proposed scheme:
Monday: Cars with plate numbers ending in 1, 2, 3, 4 not allowed on roads
Tuesday: Cars with plate numbers ending in 5, 6, 7, 8 not allowed on roads
Wednesday: Cars with plate numbers ending in 9, 0, 1, 2 not allowed on roads
Thursday: Cars with plate numbers ending in 3, 4, 5, 6 not allowed on roads
Friday: Cars with plate numbers ending in 7, 8, 9, 0 not allowed on roads
The MMDA said that the current coding scheme in place only cuts traffic by 20 percent.
Under the current scheme, the following last plate numbers are banned each day of the week:
Monday: 1 and 2
Tuesday: 3 and 4
Wednesday: 5 and 6
Thursday: 7 and 8
Friday: 9 and 0
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